310 THE STORY OF PLANT LIFE 



areas it is generally naturalised, however, in most 

 districts, in England, Scotland, and Ireland. 



Meadows, fields, shady pastures, woods and copses, 

 especially the latter, form the habitat of the Snow- 

 drop. In plantations and shrubberies it is sometimes 

 very abundant. The wild form has single, not 

 double, flowers, and is taller, with longer leaves. 



Tufted in habit when old, and when several plants 

 are growing together, the Snowdrop has a small 

 ovoid bulb. There are two bluish-green, narrow, 

 broadly linear, keeled, blunt leaves, rarely three, 

 which lengthen after flowering is over. 



The scape is longer than the leaves at first and in 

 fruit lies prostrate. The flower is solitary, drooping, 

 white, on a short stalk, above the terminal, two-fid, 

 two-nerved, spathe. The inner perianth-segments 

 are green. The outer are oblong or inversely ovate, 

 concave, white. The segments are distinct down to 

 the ovary. 



The inner segments are half as long as the outer, 

 tipped with green. The capsule is ovoid and 

 herbaceous. There are few seeds, which are nearly 

 round, with a soft white testa. 



From 6 to lo in. in height, and a herbaceous 

 perennial, the Snowdrop flowers from February to 

 April. 



In his ode to a Snowdrop Wordsworth writes : 



" Nor will I then thy modest grace forget, 

 Chaste Snowdrop, venturous harbinger of spring, 

 And pensive monitor of fleeting years." 



